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Detroit Lions: Who Finishes the Season if Jim Caldwell is Fired?

By Zac Snyder

Sep 18, 2016; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions head coach Jim Caldwell during the first quarter against the Tennessee Titans at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 18, 2016; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions head coach Jim Caldwell during the first quarter against the Tennessee Titans at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 15, 2014; College Park, MD, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio (left) and Maryland Terrapins head coach Randy Edsall speak before the game at Byrd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 15, 2014; College Park, MD, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio (left) and Maryland Terrapins head coach Randy Edsall speak before the game at Byrd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /

Randy Edsall

Like Golden, Randy Edsall was another former college head coach hired by the Lions in the offseason. Unlike Golden, his role is less defined, at least publicly, as he was hired as the Director of Football Research – Special Projects.

The Case For: Edsall has a resume very similar to Al Golden’s as a former defensive coach turned head coach who had success at the mid-major level before stepping into a major conference. An additional plus for Edsall is that he has coached at the NFL level before, serving as the defensive backs coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars under Tom Coughlin in the mid-90s.

Firing a head coach in-season can lead to a lot of shifting around in the coaching staff as there are fewer people to do the same amount of work. Given Edsall’s current role, installing him as the interim head coach minimizes disruptive changes as it keeps all current coordinators and position coaches in place.

The Case Against: Making Edsall the interim might minimize shiftin around in the rest of the coaching ranks but he might be in for a bigger adjustment than anyone else as he’s thrust back into the in-game aspect of coaching.

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